Flat Panel Displays Using Light Emitting Block Copolymers of Phenylene Vinylenes

Foster-Miller proposes to develop light emitting polymer diodes for flat panel displays based on the breakthrough in this area at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst which produced the first blue light emitting conjugated polymer. Tailoring of the conjugated segments in a block copolymer of poly(phenylene vinylene) leads to fine-tuning the band gap as desired, resulting in light emission in the various colors of the visible spectrum. Our efforts together with those of the University of Massachusetts, will focus on developing this technology through process engineering to optimize materials, processes and device structures for the potential use in flat panel display technology. In Phase I, we will use selected block copolymers in a proprietary light emitting diode construction and characterize the materials and devices that emit in the three primary colors (blue, green and red) for evaluation purposes. In Phase II, the devices will be optimized, and the feasibility of displays through integration of these devices will be demonstrated in a simple four element integrated flat panel display. These devices are expected to yield stable full color displays for 1,000 to 10,000 hr, with 5 to 10% efficiency as opposed to <1% for inorganic displays or 1 to 4% for liquid crystal displays which require back-lighting. This demonstration will form the basis for a Phase III commercialization program in collaboration with Polaroid who will be involved in this program from its start.